One of the things we love most about this type of travel is shopping in the local markets and finding the ingredients to make the local speciality.

In Hoi An, Vietnam, one of the traditional dishes is Cao Lau.

Here Amanda purchases the thick rice noodle that is the base for the dish. The doughy noodle, made from the water of a local well, is sold fresh in the market for about 4000 Dong (25 US Cents) for a kilogram (2.2 pounds).

The noodle is mixed with bean sprouts, croutons, pork and greens to create a fresh, cool meal. While the local variation is not stir fried, we decided to add extra vegetables and substitute tofu for pork while mixing it up in our pot over a low flame.